Cambodia in brief: February 15, 2017

© Heng Chivoan Party Law draws EU eyes A European parliamentarian has submitted a “priority question” to Europe’s high representative for foreign affairs, Frederica Mogherini, urging strong action against Cambodia in response to recent threats by Prime Minister Hun Sen to dissolve opposition parties. Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, an MEP with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), argues that criminalising political parties will derail Cambodia’s fragile democracy, and that the EU should take a bigger role to prevent this. READ MORE Racing to record Cambodia's rare plant species In Kampot, researchers are in a race against time, seeking to document, and hopefully protect, rare plant life that lives amongst the karsts being destroyed by cement firms feeding the Kingdom’s building boom. READ MORE  Surrogacy options to PM Members of the inter-ministerial committee charged with drafting a law to regulate commercial surrogacy met yesterday to discuss potential penalties for people involved in the industry. The decision will regulate how cases are treated prior to the passage of a law regulating surrogacy.  READ MORE  Government plugs rubber switch The Ministry of Agriculture wants to convert 6,000 hectares of cropland in two provinces into small-scale rubber plantations. READ MORE Putting drones to work on farms SM Waypoint claims its unmanned aerial vehicles can help local farm and plantation owners increase their yields. READ MORE Most popular story from yesterday PM files lawsuit against analyst Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday made good on promises to file a lawsuit against a political analyst he accused of defamation, while warning in a speech that those who would disturb stability in the country should “prepare the coffin”. READ MORE